Benghazi residents on Saturday (April 19th) voted to choose their municipal council in an atmosphere of hope and optimism about a better future. The chairman of election subcommittee, Abdel Wahab al-Feki, expressed his relief over the smooth flow of election, which took place without any obstacles. He lauded the democratic transition and peaceful transfer of power in Benghazi from the local to the municipal council. He made the statement in a press conference held on Saturday at a tourist village by the subcommittee that oversees Benghazi municipal council election. The subcommittee mobilised more than 1,900 employees for at 128 election centres, al-Feki told the Press Solidarity news agency, noting that the armed forces provided support in securing and protecting election centres throughout Benghazi. “I hope the people will choose competent, effective and experienced candidates for the municipal council,” said Benghazi local council spokesperson Usama al-Sharif. “I also wish success to the candidates in this tough, although not impossible, stage.”
Ahmed Saad said, “At first, voter turnout was very modest in the morning, but it improved a little bit at noon. There is clear abstention among people.”
In her turn, the director of al-Nahdha election centre in al-Sabri area, Massoud al-Mabrouk, said, “This is a somewhat new experience to us, and through my work in previous election committees and in this election centre, I see that women’s turnout was good. I’m the manager of the election station dedicated for women. There are 160 women and more than 200 registered at the centre.”
Observer Awadh Ibrahim Mohamed Abu Setta said his task was to check voters’ ID cards or passports to make sure voters’ names were registered in the list. “No problems took place while I was at the centre,” he said.
Full Article: allAfrica.com: Libya: Benghazi Holds Municipal Elections.